Reversible lock guard for out-swinging doors



April 1968 E. THOMPSON 3,377,094

REVERSIBLE LOCK GUARD FOR OUT-SWINGING DOORS Filed Nov. 1'7, 1966 Eugene L. Thompson INVENTOR.

United States Patent 07 Filed NOV. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 595,196 7 Claims. (Cl. 292346) The instant invention is concerned with security measures, and more particularly relates to a door mounted lock guard for preventing access to the latch or lock bolt through the crack or space normally defined between the door edge and the inner face of the doorjamb.

In many instances, illegal entry through an out-swinging door, from the outer side thereof, is effected by the insertion of a thin tool, such as a penknife blade or the like, into the thin crack provided between the edge of the door and the adjacent jamb with the latch or lock bolt being engaged by the tool and shifted inwardly a sufficient amount so as to clear its keeper or striker plate. This is a particularly simple manner of gaining illegal entry when the door is improperly fitted so as to actually provide a substantial space between the door edge and the jamb face in the vicinity of the lock.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a lock guard for preventing this form of illegal entry.

More particularly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide an elongated lock guard which is mounted directly upon the door itself and which is adapted so as to overlie the crack between the door and jamb along a substantial portion thereof in the vicinity of the lock bolt.

Another important object of the instant invention resides in the provision of a lock guard which is reversible in nature and adapted so as to accommodate cracks or openings of different widths, while at the same time providing for an overlying of a substantial portion of the coplanar adjacent faces of the door and jamb whereby access around the guard itself is also prevented.

In addition, it is an object of the instant invention to provide an appropriate extruded metal or plastic lock guard which does not interfere with the operation of the door in the normal manner and which also provides an appearance which does not detract from the appearance of the door and jamb.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the lock guard of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a door with the lock guard of the instant invention mounted thereon;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a mounted lock guard in its latch bolt protecting position; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 illustrating the mounted lock guard in a position reverse from that illustrated in FIGURE 3 for the accommodation of a greater space between the door edge and jamb face.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral is used to generally designate the lock guard comprising the instant invention. This lock guard 10, preferably formed of extruded brass, with the use of aluminum or plastic also being contemplated, is of a length so as to project a substantial distance above and 'below a door mounted retractable lock or latch bolt 12 as illustrated in FIGURE 2, and includes an elongated mounting flange 14 and an elongated covering flange 16 3,3 77,094 Patented Apr. -9, 1968 integrally fixed at right angles to one edge of said mountlng flange 14 and projecting perpendicularly beyond the opposite sides thereof.

The mounting flange 14 includes a central recessed portion 18 extending inwardly from the free edge thereof so as to enable a'flush positioning of the mounting flange against the free edge 20 of a swinging door 22 without interfering with the mounting plate 24 of the lock or the free movement of the lock bolt 12 therethrough, this being readily apparent from FIGURE 2. The recess 18 terminates outward of the covering flange 16 so as to retain a rigidifying rib-like portion 26 underlying the central portion of the covering flange 16. The upper and lower ends of the mounting flange 14 define in effect enlarged mounting lugs 28 having fastener receiving apertures 30 therethrough for the reception of suitable driven fasteners, such as screws 32 which will mount the guard on the door 22.

The covering flange 16, as noted supra, is actually defined by two coplanar oppositely directed covering flange portions 34 and 36. These covering flange portions 34 and 36 are of different widths for the accommodation of small or large cracks between a door edge 20 and the corresponding inner face 38 of the jamb 40 upon a reversing of the guard as will be appreciated from FIG- URES 3 and 4. In each instance, it is contemplated that one of the covering flange portions, either 34 or 36, overlie the crack defined between the door 22 and jam'b 40* as well as an adjacent portion of the forward face of the jamb, while the other cove-ring flange portion overlies a substantial portion of the outer face of the door 22 itself, thereby not only providing for a reversal of the guard for the accommodation of different size cracks, but also providing an effective barrier against the introduction of any tool around'the outer edges of the guard and into engagement with the latch bolt 12.

It will be noted that the mounting flange 14 and the corresponding covering flange portion are seated snugly against the door 22. If so desired, a suitable depression or mort-ised portion can be provided in the door 22 so as to inset the mounting flange 14 and the door engaging cover flange portion. Further, it should be appreciated that the lock guard 10 can have the recess 26 therein suitably enlarged, such as by an actual cutting thereof at the point of installation, if such is necessary so as to clear the latch face plate 24, especially in those situations wherein the mounting flange 14 is to be set into the door edge 20.

In order to introduce additional rigidity into the cover flange 16, it will be'noted that two laterally spaced full length rigidifying ribs 42 have been provided, these ribs defining a full length notch 44 therebetween which enhance the appearance of the guard 10 by providing what appears to be a continuation of the crack between the door and jamb, notwithstanding the fact that this crack, in the vicinity of the lock bolt 12, is completely covered by the guard 10 and access therethrough made substantially impossible.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing, a highly effective lock guard has been defined. This lock guard is mountable upon the free edge portion of a door for swinging movement therewith with the lock bolt of the door being completely concealed and inaccessible upon a closing of the door through the projection of the lock guard across the crack defined between the door and jam-b and into overlying relationship with both the adjoining portion of the jamb and the adjoining portion of the door. Incidentally, it will of course be appreciated that in order to enable a flush seating of the crack spanning covering flange portion, either 34 or 36, with the outer face the jamb 40, the outer portion of the jamb mounted striker or keeper plate 46 will be cut flush with the outer face of the jamb 40. However, this will in no way affect the Operation of the latch bolt in that the normally provided beveled leading edge of the latch bolt 12 can easily ride over the flush cut edge of the plate 46.

With the lock guard of the instant invention, it will be substantially impossible for one to obtain illegal entry through a retraction of the lock bolt 12 by the insertion of a tool into engagement therewith through the door crack. Further, any attempt to remove the lock guard 10 itself will necessitate substantial damage to the door and/ or jamb and will be so time-consuming as to eflectively discourage any sneak thief or housebreaker.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A door mountable lock guard for a selective covering of the crack normally defined between the free edge of the door and the adjacent inner face of the jamb in the vicinity of a door lock latch bolt, said lock guard comprising an elongated mounting flange mountable in overlying relation to the free edge of a door in the vicinity of the latch bolt, and a covering flange fixed to one edge of said mounting flange at generally right angles thereto, said covering flange extending laterally beyond both faces of said mounting flange so as to define two covering flange portions, one to overlie the door face inward of the mounting flange and the other to overlie the door crack outward of said mounting flange, said covering flange portions being of dilferent widths, and said guard being reversible so as to selectively mount said guard with either covering flange portion projecting outwardly therefrom, thereby accommodating different width door cracks.

2. The lock guard of claim 1 wherein said mounting flange has an enlarged recess defined therein for enabling the passage of a door-mounted latch bolt therethrough, said recess terminating outward from said covering flange 4 whereby a rigidifying portion of said mounting flange is retained along said covering flange.

3. The lock guard of claim 2 including reinforcing rib means provided along said covering flange on the oppo site face thereof from said mounting flange.

4. The lock guard of claim 3 wherein said rib means comprises a pair of parallel laterally spaced ribs defining an elongated notch therebetween.

5. In combination with an out-swinging door, a reversible lock guard, said lock guard comprising a mounting flange fixed to the free edge of said door, a covering flange integral with the outer edge of said mounting flange and projecting perpendicularly from both faces thereof so as to define one covering flange portion overlying the outer face of said door adjacent the free edge thereof, and a second covering flange portion projecting perpendicularly outward from the free edge of the door so as to cover the crack between the door edge and an adjacent door jamb, said covering flange portions being coextensive with said mounting flange, one of said covering flange portions being of a greater width than the other of said covering flange portions whereby said guard may be mounted with either flange portion projecting perpendicularly outward from the free edge of the door.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said mounting flange has an enlarged recess defined therein for the reception therethrough of a door-mounted latch bolt, said mounting flange comprising coplanar upper and lower mounting portions and a reinforcing portion extending therebetween integral with said covering flange.

7. The combination of claim 6 including a longitudinally extending notch defined in the outer face of said covering flange generally in the plane of the door edge said covering flange being relatively thick.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DOOR MOUNTABLE LOCK GUARD FOR A SELECTIVE COVERING OF THE CRACK NORMALLY DEFINED BETWEEN THE FREE EDGE OF THE DOOR AND THE ADJACENT INNER FACE OF THE JAMB IN THE VICINITY OF A DOOR LOCK LATCH BOLT, SAID LOCK GUARD COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MOUNTING FLANGE MOUNTABLE IN OVERLYING RELATION TO THE FREE EDGE OF A DOOR IN THE VICINITY OF THE LATCH BOLT, AND A COVERING FLANGE FIXED TO ONE EDGE OF SAID MOUNTING FLANGE AT GENERALLY RIGHT ANGLES THERETO, SAID COVERING FLANGE EXTENDING LATERALLY BEYOND BOTH FACES OF SAID MOUNTING FLANGE SO AS TO DEFINE TWO COVERING FLANGE PORTIONS, ONE TO OVERLIE THE DOOR FACE INWARD OF THE MOUNTING FLANGE AND THE OTHER TO OVERLIE THE DOOR CRACK OUTWARD OF SAID MOUNTING FLANGE, SAID COVERING FLANGE PORTIONS BEING OF DIFFERENT WIDTHS, AND SAID GUARD BEING REVERSIBLE SO AS TO SELECTIVELY MOUNT SAID GUARD WITH EITHER COVERING FLANGE PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, THEREBY ACCOMMODATING DIFFERENT WIDTH DOOR CRACKS. 